The 5 Best Websites for Business Cards

Even with our growing reliance on technology, having a business card ready for an impromptu meeting, networking event or long-anticipated face-to-face consultation is still important. Fortunately, with the advent of design and do-it-yourself sites, you no longer need to be a design wizard to have an eye-catching business card.

Below is a roundup of five of the best online locations for designing and ordering your business cards. Some key things to remember as you sort through this list and others are:

Design

How important is it that your business card stands out from the pack? If you’re looking for something truly unique, it might be best to invest in the services of a freelance graphic designer (try Elance or 99designs) who can create something completely original for you.

Cost and Quantity

Chances are you don’t need 10,000 business cards. Make sure to examine the quantity levels available as well as the related costs. Obviously, the more you order, the more you save, but stockpiling business cards may not be the best option, especially if you anticipate any changes in your title or contact information, including updating a phone number, email or address.

Look and Feel

If the stock of the paper is important to you (not too thin, not too thick), you might want to spend some time at an office supply store getting an idea of the different weights of paper (referred to as “pounds”). Your typical sheet of printer paper is 20 pounds, while your typical business card is 80-pound cover. If you want to be sure you’re getting what you want, it might be best to acquaint yourself with these weights before ordering online.

Resources

A quick note about this list: It includes sites with the primary purpose of providing business materials. There are other sites online that offer business cards as one of their product categories (i.e. Zazzle) that are not listed here.

Maybe the most recognizable name in the online business card arena, Vistaprint has a sizeable marketing budget with commercials airing during primetime TV and sporting events. Vistaprint offers up to 250 free business cards in 45 designs, which is a great number to get you started. However, for just $10, you can get access to thousands of designs or upload your own.

Other Vistaprint features include:

Full-color and double-sided printing.

Foil accents.

Matching stationery sets that can include business cards, envelopes, letterheads and more, all with the same design.

Vistaprint’s user interface is clean and easy to navigate, making it a wonderful choice for any user not quite comfortable with online design sites. Its pricing is very competitive, and its product categories have grown to include websites, clothing and marketing materials to give your business a branded, professional look.

Not only fun to say, Moo is a great, new design site that offers business cards with a twist. Going beyond the traditional rectangle, Moo offers cards with rounded corners as well as many vertical templates. Many of their designs also have full-color and two-sided printing. Moo business cards are a little pricier than its competitors; however, the more than 330 designs seem fresher and a bit hipper than others, making it a great choice for someone just starting their business and looking to stand out in the crowd.

Other Moo features include:

Design Your Own functionality – pick your layout, upload your logo and import images from Facebook, Flickr and more to create a business card that is truly your own. Moo’s interface doesn’t require you to have any design software knowledge.

Variety of business card options, including mini-cards, sticker books and more.

Moo for business – pricing options and flexibility for organizations with 10 or more employees.

Moo’s current pricing is 50 cards for $19.99, so it isn’t for everyone. However, with the variety of design options and a high “coolness” factor, Moo might be the perfect choice for the young entrepreneur.

Setting itself apart by offering a variety of paper options, Jukebox Print has a slightly more buttoned-up feel than Vistaprint or Moo. A little less do-it-yourself than some of the others, Jukebox Print offers customers the chance to receive a PDF proof of their order before submitting and will also provide samples via mail for the curious business card shopper.

Other Jukebox Print features include:

Extensive FAQ section that answers questions from “what type of paper do you have?” to “what are crop marks?”

Eco-friendly choices, including biodegradable and recycled paper.

Extensive specialty options, such as embossing, textured paper and coated business cards.

Jukebox Print is more of an agency than just an online DIY service. They also offer design services, so if you want something truly unique and don’t have a graphic designer in your life, it’s a great option.

Offering more than just business cards, PSPrint can provide small businesses with all of the paper collateral they might need, including letterhead, holiday cards, notepads, table tents and more. With more than 1,000 business card designs, PSPrint does offer more options than some of its competitors.

Other PSPrint features include:

Irregular business card sizes (i.e. 2x2” and 3.5x1”).

Weekly deals on select products from 10 to 60% off.

Full-color and two-sided printing.

PSPrint offers a variety of options for business cards and other business materials you might need. Their current pricing is 50 one-sided business cards for $10 (with a 50% discount), so they are priced competitively. They do not offer as much design flexibility as some of the other sites, but with more than 1,000 templates, chances are you can find what you need.

One of the only online providers that offers something outside of the standard business card, GotPrint.com gives you the chance to order a variety of shapes and sizes, making it possible for your business card to truly stand out. Going beyond rounded corners, GotPrint.com business cards are available as circles, ovals, half circles and more.

Advanced Designer that gives you more control over the design templates.

While GotPrint.com does have its own cache of designs, many of them rely heavily on stock photos, which can turn some people off. GotPrint.com might be a better option for someone with their own business card design or someone who is really looking for a cost-effective way to get die-cut business cards, which can be pricey.

When perusing these sites, make sure to keep cost, design and look and feel in mind as outlined above, and you should have no problem finding the business card that’s perfect for you.

Megan has worked in the advertising and digital media space for over ten years, writing everything from content briefs to press releases to advertising copy. Industries she has worked in include: human resources, print media, digital media, computer software, online advertising and entertainment.